By Kevin Okunzuwa, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

The avalanche of angry reactions trailing the U.S. designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Concern” was expected, given the escalating insecurity and the fragile state of the nation.

Yet, amid the crisis and rising voices of fear, some churches and clerics maintain that the body of Christ has a responsibility to help guide the country out of its current challenges.

Leading the crusade for voices of reason, the Catholic Church in Nigeria described the church as society’s moral compass for peace and development in times of uncertainty.

Fr. Peter Babangida-Audu, the Director, Department of Church and Society of the Catholic Church, made the declaration in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recently in Lagos.

Babangida-Audu spoke on the sidelines of the annual general meeting of the Catholic Secretariat Department of Church and Society held in Abuja.

The cleric described the Church as society’s moral compass, stressing that “it is called not to retreat during moments of insecurity, but to take the lead’’.

According to him, the church is called to be a credible witness to hope, a defender of human dignity, and an agent of integral development.

“Today’s gathering brings together the richness of our five units. Education, Health, Migrants and Refugees, Family and Human Life, and the Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC).

“Each contributes uniquely to the church’s social mission; when we bring these strengths together, we become a formidable force for national transformation, turning displacement to development.

“Our first sub-theme, ‘Displacement to Development: Solidarity with the Vulnerable in the Year of Hope’, reminds us of the millions of Nigerians displaced by conflict, poverty, natural disasters, and social instability.

“As a Church, our response cannot end at providing relief; we must accompany people along the entire journey – from displacement to empowerment, from despair to dignity, from trauma to transformation,” he said.

He said that the Church must form consciences, promote justice, insist on good governance, strengthen civic participation, and mobilise for peaceful political processes.

“Our JDPC structures are uniquely positioned to guide this process with integrity and courage.

“One of our strategic goals in the years ahead is to continue to build stronger inter-unit collaboration.

“No single unit can address Nigeria’s complex social challenges alone; education influences peace building; family life affects migration; health supports development; JDPC drives governance and stability,” he said.

According to him, there is a need for the church to rediscover its identity as a harbinger of hope– one that speaks, acts, and serves with the conviction that Nigeria can rise again.

In addition, the Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, said that only a unity of purpose among religious leaders and organisations could guarantee the rediscovery of purposeful leadership and good governance.

He lamented that the virtues of religious tolerance and mutual respect that once endeared Nigeria to the international community had become a sad anomaly.

According to Onaiyekan, that once beautiful narrative has now become a sad anomaly.

The cleric spoke at the 9th International Conference on “Love and Tolerance”, convened by the Ufuk Dialogue at the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) in Abuja.

Speaking on the theme, “Bridging Divides – Building Trust in a Polarised World,” Onaiyekan said that the world was currently witnessing religious organisations and people coming together.

He contrasted the trend with the situation in Nigeria, observing that while the global drift pointed towards greater religious unity, Nigerians were instead using religion to divide and tear themselves apart.

“I am 81, and 20 years ago, I thought we were making progress and that we would soon do away with evil people using religion to divide us.

“Why are we allowing this polarisation? People are afraid to talk because they are afraid of offending people.

“Indeed, God created us differently, so let us celebrate our differences and welcome one another.

“Nigeria used to be a model of religious tolerance and mutual respect.

“Twenty years ago, I used to boast about it, but I do not know what has happened,” he said.

The co-founder of the Interfaith Initiatives for Peace (IIP) said Christians and Muslims should embrace their differences and build bridges so they could jointly confront the nation’s common enemies.

According to the octogenarian, both Christianity and Islam are monotheistic religions.

“If either a Christian or a Muslim believes their Gods are different, it implies the existence of at least two Gods—something neither faith teaches

“If we can work on honesty in every sphere of our national life, we can make progress.

“Let us agree that we have differences; only then can we work together for the development of our country,” he said.

The Director-General of the IPCR, Dr Joseph Ochogwu, said the conference was taking place at a time when polarisation had become increasingly evident in the country.

Represented by Dr Emmanuel Mamman, a director at the institute, Ochogwu said that women, youths, and traditional and religious institutions must play a central role in bridging divides and rebuilding trust.

“Trust cannot be legislated; it is cultivated through those who hold moral influence and generational reach.

“Women have long been silent architects of unity because they mediate family and community disputes by detecting early signs of tension and spearhead recovery efforts after crises.

“The youths also represent enormous potential because of their technological skills, cultural connection, and global awareness.

“Yet, many feel excluded from national discourse.

“Rebuilding trust requires meaningful engagement of young people as co-creators of solutions, not passive recipients,” he said.

In his submission, the President of Ufuk Dialogue, Mr Emrah Ilgen, said the annual conference was conceived to promote dialogue, culture of coexistence, mutual understanding, and to establish a common platform for promoting peace.

He said peace was a prerequisite for growth and development, and that any society that failed to invest in peace could not progress.

Most Rev. Christopher Naseri, the Auxiliary Bishop of Calabar, represented by Fr. Evaristus Bassey, at the conference, highlighted the importance of mainstreaming Catholic Social Teaching (CST) in Nigeria’s development agenda.

Naseri said that the country’s current challenges were not the result of a religious war, but rather a crisis driven by poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation.

According to him, leaders often lack the will to implement policies that genuinely serve the common good.

He said that the church must act as a prophetic voice, advocating for justice, peace, and development.

The priest outlined the key principles of CST—including the dignity of the human person, the common good, subsidiarity, and solidarity—emphasising that these should guide the Church’s development efforts.

Naseri further called for the Church to actively engage in advocacy and policy making, applying CST principles to shape its actions.

He recommended stronger collaboration with the government and other stakeholders to promote sustainable development and address Nigeria’s pressing challenges.

In the same vein, Most Rev. Sunday Ndukwo, Archbishop, Special Duties, At-Large of the Methodist Church Nigeria, said the way out of the current challenges was for leaders to become truthful to themselves and do right.

Onuoha declared that Nigeria would not overcome its deepening insecurity crisis “unless the nation confronts the truth about the scale of the problem.

Speaking in Abuja during a thanksgiving service held after his investiture as Archbishop of Special Duties, Onuoha said the country had slipped into a worrying cycle of dependence — borrowing not only money, but even the basic technologies required for survival.

He cautioned that Nigeria could no longer continue “pretending that all is well” while kidnappings, attacks on vulnerable communities and widespread fear persisted across the country.

Onuoha urged Nigerians to stop pretending and begin rebuilding the nation with truth, responsibility and accountability.

Ultimately, stakeholders maintain that strong political will and sustained interfaith dialogue were crucial in navigating Nigeria’s complex security situation.